Drop bottom containers



June 20, 1961' G. R. DEMPSTER ETAL 2,989,200-

DROP BOTTOM CONTAINERS Filed March 8, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BYMImam;

ATTORNEYS June 20, 1961 s. R. DEMPSTER ET AL 2,989,200

ATTORNEYS June 20, 1961 e. R. DEMPSTER ET AL 2,

DROP BOTTOM CONTAINERS Filed March 8, 1957 -3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q INVENTORsATTORNEYS 2,989,200 DROP BOTTOM CONTAINERS George R. Dempster andWilliam A. Herpich, Knoxville,

This invention relates to improvements in drop bottom containers of thecharacter adapted for use in transporting and dumping refuse and othermaterials.

. Such a container is usually provided with a drop bot-- tom door whichmay be opened for dumping the contents from the container; The containeris adapted to be filled sitting on the ground, floor or other supporttherefor. It maybe lifted onto hoisting means for transportation to apoint of dumping, where the body of the container is held in elevatedpostion and the drop bottom door is opened to permit discharge of thecontents therefrom.

The drop bottom door is hinged to the body of the container at the frontwall of the body portion, so that it swings downward toward the hoistingmeans in the dumping'position of the container. For a container of largecapacity, the length of the door imposes a substantial limitation on theopening movement thereof for dumping. If the door is long fromfront-to-back, the free edge of the door may strike the ground at thepoint of dumping and thereby limit the dumping angle of the door in itsdischarge position.

One object of this invention is to permit an increased dumping angle onthe container with a long front-to-back thereof and compensating forsuch foreshortening of the door by an extension on the front wallportion of the body ofthe container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide sectional doorstructures at the bottom of the container, with a drop bottom doorhinged to the body of the container adjacent the front wall thereof andcoacting with abaffle platehinged to the rear wall structure thereofco-' acting with the drop bottom door to close the bottom portionand topermit of opening movement for dumping the contents.

' These objects may be accomplished, according to certain embodiments ofthe invention, by foreshortening the length of the door fromfront-to-back of the container so thatthedoor does not extendth'roughoutthe length of the container, and the body portion of the container has abafile plate hinged to the'body portion adjacent the rear wall thereofinposition to coact with thedrop bottom door to close the bottom of thecontainer. Provision may be made for closing the baflie plateautomatically as by -aspring-or counterweight connected'therewith,thereby effectively retaining the contents within the con tainer andpermitting movement for discharging the contents therefrom. I r

JIt is preferable "that the baflie plate be held in its closed positionby the drop bottom door, for which pur-' Unitcd States Patent tainer,illustrating the bottom structure of the container in differentpositions;

FIG. 2 is a detail side elevation of -a portion of the container anddrop bottom door with a modified form of baffle plate;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the container;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation thereof;

FIG. 5 is a detail cross section through a portion of the container onwhich the battle plate is mounted; and

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing a modified form of baffle plateoperating means.

The container, according to this invention, is adapted for use with anysuitable form of hoisting means, either a truck mounted hoisting unit,as shown in the Dempster patent, No. 2,281,183, granted April 28, 1942;a self-propelled vehicle, as in the Dempster et a1. patent, No.2,751,100, granted June 19, 1956; a hoisting unit of the character shownin the Dempster patent, -No. Re. 23,546, granted September 9, 1952, or afork lift type of hoisting unit, as desired. The container isillustrated in connection with one form of hoisting unit, but it will beunderstood that it may be used with any other or desired form ofhoisting means capable of handling and dumping a container of this type.r

'In the form of hoisting unit shown, a vehicle chassis is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 1 and is of the typeof wheeled vehicle adaptedto be self-propelled. A sub frame assembly 2 is mounted on the chassis 1and includes a bucket rest 3 for supporting the container, located atthe rear end of the chassis. The raising and lowering means comprises aboom assembly 4. The container is adapted to be pulled up on and heldagainst a carriage assembly 5 capable of movement forward and backwardrelative to the chassis, as described more in detail in Dempster patent,No. 2,281,183.

The container comprises opposite end walls 6, a front wall 7 and a rearwall 8. The top of the container may" be either open or provided withsuitable enclosing struc ture, which latter is indicated at 9 in FIGS. 1and 3.

The bottom portion of the container comprises a drop bottom door 10,hinged at 11 to the body portion of the container adjacent the frontwall 7, as, for example, at the lower edge of said front wall. door '10extends from the front wall 7 toward the'rear wall 8 and preferablyterminates short of a vertical plane These end wall sections 12 alsohave fixed thereon.

lifting pins 14 adapted for connection by a chain or other flexibledevice 15 (FIG. 1) with the free end portion of the boom assembly 4.This means provides not only for picking up and elevating the container,but it also allows for the opening of the drop bottom door 10, asillustrated in FIG. 1. During such opening and dumping movements, thebody portion of the container-is held suspended on the carriage assembly5 by an automatic Patented June 20, 1961,

The drop bottom 3 dumping hook, shown at 16 in FIG. 1, an example ofwhich is illustrated in Jones patent, No. 2,729,496, granted January 3,1956. This automatic hook engages a bail connected with the front wall 7of the container, as indicated at 17 in FIG. 3.

To accommodate for the shortening of the drop bottom door 10 from frontto back of the container, the plates forming the end walls 6 are cut oilat an oblique angle, as indicated at 18 in FIGS. 1 and 4, and the edgesof the end wall sections 12 are likewise cut off in alignment with theedges 18, as indicated at 19. Thus, when the drop bottom door is closed,the edges 18 and 19 are in oblique alignment at each opposite end of thecontainer.

A baffle plate is provided at 20, hinged at-21 to the lower edge of therear wall 8 of the container, as shown more in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5.counterbalance torsion springs 22 are coiled around the hinge pins andanchored with one end against the bottom face of the bafile plate, andthe opposite end anchored by a retainer assembly 23 to the battle plate20, thereby normally tending to swing the bafiie plate to the positionthereof indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1 and in full lines in FIGS. 4and 5. The forward swinging movement of bafile plate 20 is limited bystop bars 24 on opposite ends thereof engaging against the edges 18 ofthe end walls 6.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the baffle plate 20extends downward below the ends of edges 18 and has an angular portion25 on the lower edge of the baflie plate in position to engage the upperface of the free edge of the drop bottom door 10, as shown in FIG. 5. Ifdesired, however, the bafile plate may be shortened, as indicated at 20'in FIG. 2, thereby coacting with the edges 18 of the end walls 6,terminating substantially at the lower ends of the edges 18. In thatevent, an upturned bottom portion 10' is provided on the drop bottomdoor to close the portion of the container beneath the bafile 20'.

Any suitable counterbalance means may be used for closing the battle,as, for instance, by a counterweight, shown at 26 in FIG. 6, welded orotherwise connected to the hinge 21 that connects the baflle plate 20with the body portion of the container.

The baffle plate 20 extends from end-to-end of the container, betweenthe end walls 6, and cooperates with the drop bottom door 10 to closethe opening through the bottom of the container. At the same time it iscapable of opening movement for discharging the contents from thecontainer and thereby providing for full opening of the drop bottom doorstructure, including the door 10 and the baffie 20 for effectivedischarge.

As the container is held in its elevated position by the automatic hook16, shown in FIG. 1, and upon lowering of the boom structure 4, the dropbottom door 10 can move down to a full open position without danger ofstriking the ground or surface beneath the container. When the dropbottom door 10 is thus opened, the baffle 20 is free to be moved asideby the discharging contents of the container to the position shown infull lines in FIG. 1, so long as the contents are being discharged.Then, the springs 22, counterweight 26, or other suitable closing meanswill return the battle 20 to its dotted line position in FIG. 1, whichis shown also in full lines in FIG. 5, with the lip 25 on the lower edgeof the baflie in position to overlie the free edge of the drop bottomdoor 10, in this form of the invention.

Thus, the drop bottom door 10 will hold the bafiie in its closedposition and it cannot swing open as long as the container bottom isclosed; and the door itself will be held closed by the flexible devices15 connected therewith at opposite ends, and which extend to the boomstructure 4. With the modified form shown in FIG. 2, the battle plate20' will not be held closed except by the action of the springs,counterweights or the like, unless it is made long enough to extend justinside and be embraced by the upturned portion 10' on the drop bottomdoor.

Normally, the container would be filled sitting on the ground or othersupporting surface, with the parts in the positions shown in FIG. 4. Inthis position, the baflle and drop bottom door will hold the bottomportion of the container closed effectively during the filling andduring the lifting of the container onto the hoisting unit fortransportation to a remote point for dumping.

In this Way, the contents can be discharged effectively from a dropbottom container through an enlarged opening in the bottom of thecontainer and without danger that the maximum size of drop bottom doormade possible thereby, will strike the ground or surface beneath thecontainer during dumping. The drop bottom door is free to move farenough so that the dumping action is not limited by such underlyingsurface, whereby greater dumping angle is made possible, and at the sametime maintaining a long front-to-back dimension for the container, withfull opening of the bottom thereof.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in certainembodiments, it is recognized that variations and changes may be madetherein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

We claim:

1. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and back walls, means connected withthe body portion adjacent the front wall for suspending the containerfor discharging the contents therefrom, a drop bottom door hingedlyconnected with the body portion adjacent the front wall thereof andextending toward the rear wall, with the free edge of said door spacedappreciably forwardly from the rear wall, and a bathe plate hinged tothe body portion adjacent the rear wall and extending therefromsubstantially to the free edge portion of the drop bottom door, said endwalls having oblique lower edge portions extending substantially inalignment with the free edge portion of the drop bottom door in closedposition, and the baflie plate extending between said oblique edgeportions adjacent thereto, said bafile plate having a lower edge portionextending downward in overlapping relation with the free edge portion ofthe drop bottom door and held in closed position thereby.

2. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and back walls, a drop bottom door,means hingedly connecting the drop bottom door at one edge thereof tothe body portion adjacent the front wall thereof, end wall sectionsconnected with the drop bottom door and upstanding therefrom coactingwith the end walls, said drop bottom door extending from the hingeconnection toward the rear wall and spaced therefrom, the end walls andend wall sections having oblique lower edge portions extending betweenthe free edge of the drop bottom door and the rear wall of thecontainer, a bafiie plate interposed between the end walls and extendingfrom the rear wall substantially to the free edge of the door, meanshinging said plate to the body portion adjacent the rear wall forswinging movement from a closed position between said oblique edges toan open position upon opening of the drop bottom door, and meansyieldably urging said baffle plate to said closed position.

3. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and back walls, a drop bottom door,means hingedly connecting the drop bottom door at one edge thereof tothe body portion adjacent the front wall thereof, end wall sectionsconnected with the drop bottom door and upstanding therefrom coactingwith the end walls, said drop bottom door extending from the hingeconnection toward the rear wall and spaced therefrom, the end walls andend wall'sections having oblique lower edge portions extending betweenthe free edge of the drop bottom door and the rear wall of thecontainer, a baflle plate interposed between the end walls and extendingfrom the rear wall substantially to the free edge of the door, meanshinging said plate to the body portion adjacent the rear wall forswinging movement from a closed position between said oblique edges toan open position upon opening of the drop bottom door, and meansyieldably urging said baffle plate to said closed position, said baffleplate having an angular-lip portion on the lower edge thereof inposition to overlie the free edge of the drop bottom door in closedposition, and thereby hold the bafile plate closed when the drop bottomdoor is closed.

4. In transporting and dumping equipment, the combination with ahoisting unit having container raising and lowering means thereon andmeans for supporting the container during dumping, of a containerincluding a body portion having a drop bottom door hinged to the bodyportion at a side thereof adjacent the hoisting unit, means on the bodyportion at the side thereof toward the hoisting unit for connection withsaid body supporting means during dumping, said drop bottom doorextending toward the opposite side of the container away from thehoisting unit, and a baflle pivotally connected with the body portion atthe side thereof opposite from the hoisting unit and extendingdownwardly substantially to the free edge of the drop bottom door, saidbaffle being arranged at an oblique angle and having an offset edgeportion in overlapping relation with the drop bottom door and heldclosed thereby.

5. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and back walls, means connected withthe body portion adjacent the front wall for suspending the containerfor discharging the contents therefrom, a drop bottom door hingedlyconnected with the body portion adjacent the front wall thereof andextending toward the rear wall, with the free edge of said door spacedappreciably forwardly from the rear wall, and a baffle plate hinged tothe body portion adjacent the rear wall and extending therefromsubstantially to the free edge portion of the drop bottom door, said endwalls having oblique lower edge portions extending substantially inalignment with the free edge portion of the drop bottom door in closedposition, the batlle plate extending between said oblique edge portionsadjacent thereto, said baffle plate having a lower edge portionextending downward in overlap ping relation with the free edge portionof the drop bottom door and held in closed position thereby, and meansyieldably urging the baffle plate to said closed position.

6. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and back walls, means connected withthe body portion adjacent the front wall for suspending the containerfor discharging the contents therefrom, a drop bottom door hingedlyconnected with the body portion adjacent the front wall thereof andextending toward the rear wall,

with the free edge of said door spaced appreciably forwardly from therear wall, a bafile plate hinged to the body portion adjacent the rearwall and extending therefrom substantially to the free edge portion ofthe drop bottom door, said end walls having oblique lower edge portionsextending substantially in alignment with the free edge portion of thedrop bottom door in closed position, the bafile plate extending betweensaid oblique edge portions adjacent thereto, said baffle plate having alower edge portion extending downward in overlapping relation with thefree edge portion of the drop bottom door and held in closed positionthereby, and spring means connected with the baffle plate and yieldablyurging said bafiie plate to said closed position.

7. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and back walls, means connected withthe body portion adjacent the front wall for suspending the containerfor discharging the contents therefrom, a drop bottom door hingedlyconnected with the body portion adjacent the front wall thereof andextending toward the rear wan, with the free edge of said door spacedappreciably forwardly from the rear wall, a bafile plate hinged to thebody portion adjacent the rear wall and extending therefromsubstantially to the free edge portion of the drop bottom door, said endwalls having oblique lower edge portions extending substantially inalignment with the free edge portion of the drop bottom door in closedposition, the baflle plate extending between said oblique edge portionsadjacent thereto, said baflle plate having a lower edge portionextending downward in overlapping relation with the free edge portion ofthe drop bottom door and held in closed position thereby, and acounterweight connected with the baffle plate and normally urging thebaffle plate to said closed position.

8. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and rear walls, a drop bottom door,means hingedly connecting one edge portion of the drop bottom door tothe body portion adjacent the front wall thereof, end wall sectionsconnected with the drop bottom door and upstanding therefrom coactingwith the end walls, said drop bottom door extending from the hinge meanstoward the rear wall and spaced forwardly therefrom, the end walls andend wall sections having oblique lower edge portions extending betweenthe bottom of the drop bottom door and the rear wall of the container,said door having an angular lip portion, and a baflle plate pivotallymounted between the end walls and extending from the rear wall downwardin overlapping relation with the angular lip portion of the drop bottomdoor and held in closed position thereby.

9. A container of the character described, comprising a body portionincluding opposite end walls, front and rear walls, a drop bottom door,means hingedly connecting the drop bottom door at one edge thereof tothe body portion adjacent the front wall thereof, end wall sectionsconnected with the drop bottom door and upstanding therefrom coactingwith the end walls, said drop bottom door extending from the hingeconnection toward the rear wall and spaced forward therefrom, the endwalls and end Wall sections having oblique lower edge portions extendingbetween the free edge of the drop bottom door and the rear wall of thecontainer, and a baffle plate pivotally mounted between the end wallsand extending from the rear wall substantially to the free edge of thedoor in overlapping relation therewith and held in closed positionthereby.

10. In transporting and dumping equipment, the combination with ahoisting unit having container raising and lowering means thereon andmeans for supporting the container during dumping, of a containerincluding a body portion having a drop bottom door hinged to the bodyportion at a side thereof adjacent the hoisting unit, means on the bodyportion at the side thereof toward the hoisting unit for connection withsaid body supporting means during dumping, said drop bottom doorextending toward the opposite side of the container away from thehoisting unit with the free edge of said door spaced appreciably forwardof the rear wall, and a baflle pivotally connected with the body portionat the side thereof opposite from the hoisting unit and extendingdownwardly substantially to the free edge of the drop bottom door, saidbaffle being arranged at an oblique angle in overlapping relation withthe drop bottom door and held closed thereby.

11. In transporting and dumping equipment, the combination with ahoisting unit having container raising and lowering means thereon andmeans for supporting the container during dumping, of a containerincluding a body portion having a drop bottom door hinged to the bodyportion at a side thereof adjacent the hoisting unit, means on the bodyportion at the side thereof toward the hoisting unit for connection withsaid body supporting means during dumping, said drop bottom doorextending '7 toward the opposite side of the container away from thehoisting unit with the free edge of said door spaced appreciably forwardof the rear Wall, said door having an angular lip portion, and a bafllepivotally connected with the body portion at the side thereof oppositefrom the hoisting unit and extending downwardly substantially to theangular lip portion of the drop bottom door, said baffie being arrangedat an oblique angle, in overlapping relation with the angular lipportion of the drop bottom door and held closed thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSummers Oct. 28, 1919 Jones Dec. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Feb.21, 1947

